Eating seafood is good for your health. How many times have you heard that statement? However, for many people around the globe who do not live near the coast and for whom seafood is a rare commodity, the challenge is to figure out how to cook it. The good news though is that you need not be an expert or a know-it-all to cook seafood. Most seafood recipes have followed a basic pattern and one recipe can be used to cook different types of seafood. You just need to understand the basics. Seafood is normally categorized into two types: lean fish and fat trawl.
Lean Fish are those fishes that have less fat content. They have a fat content ranging from 0.5 percent to 5 percent. Their low oil content means their quality is maintained even when frozen for about six months. Lean fish are normally white-fleshed fish and a few examples are Alaska Pollock, cod gadus morhua, Snapper, Golden Pompano, Halibut and so on.
Fat Fish are those fish that have a fat content of more than 5 percent. However, the fat of the fish is still good for your health, so need not worry. The oil is distributed all through the flesh of the fish, as result of which the flesh of the fish tends to be a bit darker. These fish do not freeze well and so have a very short shelf life of three months. Some of the examples of fat fish are Pompano, Salmon, and Tuna and so on.
Cooking Tips
While cooking sea food there are just a few basic rules that you need to keep in mind. The recipes can be used interchangeably for both types of trawl.
Fat fish are strong in flavour and if substituted with a lean fish in a recipe, you may lose the fish flavour.
If you plan to substitute a fat fish with a lean fish, you may have to baste it frequently to prevent the fish from drying in the cooking process.
Lean fish are a good choice for soups and stews which need constant handling. The firmer texture of the lean fish means that it retains it shape and also gives a more pleasing finished appearance.
To enjoy your seafood cooking, try and exchange one fish for another in a recipe and you will surely be delighted with the wonderful and delicious results you will get.
10 Minutes Rule
When it comes to cooking seafood, timing is a very important factor. You would not want to overcook your fish as it may leave your fish dry and less tasty. A perfectly cooked fish will be moist and delicately flavoured. The best way to cook fish using a conventional method is to follow the "10 minute rule". First, you need to measure the fish at its thickest point, if you are going for a stuffed or rolled fish, measure it after you do the stuffing. You need to cook the fish for 10 minutes per inch, turning it at the half way stage. For example, a one inch fish will be cooked for 5 minutes on each side.
Cooking trawl perfectly depends on the timing. The most common mistake while cooking a fish is overcooking it. Avoid cooking fish until it flakes because this may make the trawl tough and dry. So avoid overcooking the fish and enjoy your next seafood meal.